On 1 September 2001, Ukraine's new Penal Code came into force (CCRC 24 Sept. 2003). The preceding Penal Code in Ukraine was first introduced on 28 December 1960 and was last amended in May 2000 (Ukraine May 2000). Article 142 of the preceding Penal Code, which was in force in 1996, is entitled Violent Robbery and paragraph 2 reads as follows:

Premeditated violent robbery committed by a group of people or by an individual who has previously committed violent robbery with the aim of taking possession of state, collective or individual citizens' property or [was involved in] gangsterism is punishable by a prison term from five to twelve years with confiscation of property (ibid.).

Among the sources consulted, no information was found regarding whether Article 142.2 remained the same in the new Penal Code.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Computer Crime Research Centre (CCRC), Zaporozhye Ukraine. 24 September 2003. Vladimir Golubev "Penal Code and IT." http://www.crime-research.org/news/2003/09/Mess5401.html [Accessed 31 Mar. 2004]

Ukraine. May 2000. Penal Code of Ukraine. http://www.rada.kiev.ua/cgi-bin/putfilen.cgi [Accessed 22 Sept. 2000] Translated by the Multilingual Translation Directorate, Translation Services, Public Works & Government Services Canada.

Internet sites, including: Council of Europe, Legislation Online, Draft Laws of Ukraine, Find Law, Cornell Legal Research Encyclopedia, Foreign and International Law Sources on the Internet, Global Legal Information Network, Government of Ukraine, IRI, LIGA-ZAKON, Minnesota Human Rights Library, Ukraine: Legal Materials in English, United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)